In order to improve food security and reduce poverty in the country, Pakistan needs to develop a pro-poor growth strategy and ensure social safety nets for the poor, recommends Human Development in South Asia Report for 2010-11 on food security in South Asia.
The consumption of food like milk, flour, rice and meat decreased in recent years, which is mainly due to poverty. The current level of water availability is the most serious constraint facing the agriculture sector and if it is not addressed then in the coming years, it would affect the economic growth of the country.
The report was released by Mahbub ul Haq Human Development Centre on Saturday at Lahore University Management Sciences (LUMS).
LUMS VC Dr Adil Najam, Khadija Haq, Dr Hafiz Pasha, Sartaj aziz, Dr Munir Ahmed, Dr Abid Suleri and Dr Abid Burki were in the panel of discussion.
The report suggests a five-point strategy to emphasise that the poor should be part of the growth process and policies. The elements of the strategy include promoting non-farm employment by increasing public and private investment in physical and social infrastructure like building roads, education and health facilities. Diversification of livelihood in rural economy through farm and non-farm employment opportunities is extremely vital to ensure their food security. The second strategy is to enhance human development through improving education and health facilities. The third point is the equitable distribution of land and provision of state land to poor landless farmers. The fourth point says that extending agriculture credit and finance to small farmers must be ensured while fifth strategy is promoting farm research results to poor farmers for efficient land use.
The report points out that food security at the national level has never been reflected in national policy discourse. There is hardly any policy document that specifically targets food insecurity in its complete definition, which includes production, access and absorption.
According toa report, food price inflation has outpaced non-food prices and within food the prices of essential items like wheat, flour, rice and pulses have risen significantly. These price hikes have also played a negative role in increasing poverty. The severity of food insecurity, as demonstrated in the high food prices and shortages of essential commodities in an agricultural country explains the nexus between food insecurity and poor governance. It also said that 2007 wheat crisis was the result of poor administration and failure to curb wheat smuggling. The report said that the real purchasing power of people in Pakistan has recorded a decline since the rise in income has been outpaced by inflation.
The report points out that agricultural growth is only possible by increasing cultivation, productivity of existing land, ensuring provision of water and reducing post-harvest losses.
Though the total area under cultivation has increased by 40 per cent over the last 60 years, the expansion in it could not be sustained over a longer period. A large part of the remaining land is unsuitable for cultivation and requires significant investment. It is alarming that the area under cultivation would be undermined due to land degradation, water logging, salinity and planned expansion of cities. To overcome these shortcomings, the report suggests timely provision of farm inputs like quality seeds, fertilisers, machinery, pesticides and extension services. On the issue of water, the report describes the current level of water availability as the most serious constraint facing the agriculture sector. The report warns that if the current trend continues, water scarcity in Pakistan by 2020 would reach a level where it could disrupt economic activity and hamper health and well-being of the people.
Dr Hafiz Pasha during a discussion said that food security remained low and in the recent years flour consumption decreased by 15 per cent, rice by 25 per cent, meat by 50 per cent and milk by 30 per cent. He said that in 1990s, Pakistan did well to overcome food security but in 2000s it declined badly.